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lake itcometrue: Campervanning is a[[ about

F:ws. And nowhere on Earth are they more

Eectacu[ar persquare l<i[ometre than in NewI:aland. NZ's two istands deliverthe snow-

=cped peal<s of the Alps, the epicfjords

:'\orway and the temperate rainforests

:' \orthAmerica's PacificNorthwest.'/ou't[ need at least three weel<s to do both

, : -th and South lslands - a weel< in the, - .canic, verdant North, saving two f orthe-:untains and glaciers ofthe South. New

::: [and is a land of detours, and therefore the

:=-fect place for campervanning. lt's made

::sler by the factthatthere are ptenty of RV

i- C caravan parl<s, white campsites - both

private and government-run - are widespread(though not att have etectricity on tap).

Pick up your camper in Auckland, thecountry's centraI hub. From here, hang a lefttowards the gorgeous CoromandeI Peninsuta

to unwind f rom your27-hourftight in your

own self-dug thermatsand bath at Hoi WaterBeach. Overthe next week, pick yourwaysouth, via Rotorua, the island's vo[canic heart,

to the bijou capitatof Wettington. lndutge

in its food and coffee scene before tal<ing

a three-and-a-ha[f-hourferry across the

scenic Cool< Straitto South ls[and.

Disembarl<ing into the world-f amous

Martborough wine country, fittthe minifridgewith boittes of crisp Sauvignon Btanc, thennegotiate the is[and counter-ctocl<wise,

fottowing Highway 6 a[ong the coast. Gawp at

the white-capped Southern Alps rising up toyour lef t as you approach Westland Tai Poutini

National Park, a ctoud-wreathed landscapeof Maori myths. Road traff ic signif icantty thinshere, but the tourist infrastructure remainsexcettent. Make a quick stop in Queenstown forbungee thri[[s and gritted f ish beneath the starsby Lake Wanaka, beforefitting the tank furthersouth in Te Anau - it's the tast f ueI stop beforeMilford Sound, in primevat Fiordtand - alt

misty dawns and tichen-strewn forests.Heading back upto Aucktand along the east

coast, Vou'[tf ind penguins on the Otago

PeninsuIa and farewet[ drinks in Christchurch.

Irovel's tip: Avoid Juty and August - the bestsites get snaff [ed and biting sandflies are rife.

Get methere: Air New Zea[and has returnsto Aucl<[and and Christchurch from Heathrowfrom t1,168. Britz (britz.com) has modern,comfortable campervan rentats f romabout t25 a day.

ChrisAllsop

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Zealand in a campervan

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l.:nd ctean your windows, then bring ovE' : ci'd machine so you can pay. Carrentats.com has a handy infograph rc of some of the other quirks to took out torI

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